Crossword Genius

South leaving card game to sleep (3)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

nap

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'sleep' is the definition.
('nap' can be a synonym of 'sleep')

'south leaving card game' is the wordplay.
'south leaving card' becomes 'na' (I can't justify this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'game' becomes 'p' (I have seen 'French game ' mean 'p' so perhaps 'game' could also mean 'p').
'na'+'p'='NAP'

'to' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for nap that I've seen before include "A fuzzy surface texture" , "Sleep briefly" , "Sleep lightly" , "Racing tip that professes to be a certainty" , "Take forty winks" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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